Wire straightener



May 26, 1953 R. D. HELLER WIRE STRAIGHTENER Filed Dec. 3, 1948 ATTORNEYS g- ,INVENTOR. RICHARD D. HELLER 3 Sheets-Sheet l m 1m. NH m R m m m 7/////////////// V/ W/V///W/ ////////////////////m//HU//M//////// /////////A H M 0m .m 11m: W JJ a 13 W E w b q n N MW MD W W III a D e R Nu mm w .V. W WQN Du R b HELLER WIRE STRAIGHTENER May 26, 1953 Filed Dec. 3, 1948 y 6, 1953 R. D.- HELLER 2,639,758

WIRE STRAIGHTENER I Filed Dec. 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. RICHARD D. HELLER HATTO R NEY$ Patented May "26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE WIRE STRAIGHTENER Richard D.-Heller, Tujunga, Calif.

Application December 3, 1948, Serial No. 63,247

12 Claims.

The straightening of wire, usually to remove from it a circular or coil set which it has acquired while coiled, has sometimes been approximately accomplished heretofore without regard to any orientation of the direction of the applied bending forces relative to the direction of the setthat is, ordinarily, of the plane of the coiland by merely vigorously and repeatedly bending the Wire back and forth in arbitrarily selected planes while the wire, twisting about its own axis as it runs, is drawn past or through the bending devices. This produces only imperfect or variable results, and frequently tends to weaken hard wire and to toughen soft wire, and frequently abrades and scars the wires surface.

It is axiomatic that a counterbending force, if it could be applied always directly oppositely and equal in value to the coil set, could efiect straightening with a minimum of harmful concomitants,

but the ldifficulty lies in accomplishing the required precision of orientation and amount of force, and in doing so dependably'and continuously at commercially practicable speeds. Such dlfliculty has in practice proven so insuperable thatthe imperfections of the prior art, outlined above, have become accepted as necessary evils.

The principal key to perfection has been the necessity of dependably maintaining precise orientation between a counterbending force and the plane of the coil set, which orientation can best be attained by maintaining the Wire strand, as it unreels, with its coil set always in a plane parallel to the plane of the actual coil whence it came, for if that condition can be maintained, a counterbending force can always be applied in a single opposed sense, and its value can be sufliciently closely governed to produce constant and near-perfect results. Specifically, then, the difficulty in the past has been to prevent rotation of the unwinding strand about its own axis while it is being subjected to a counterbending force which is constant in its directional sense and its value.

In prior patents, the applications for which were oopending with this application, I have disclosed and claimed various ways of hOldiIlg a wire strand against such rotation under such conditions, some such disclosures being peculiarly suited to large strands, or to hard or to soft wire. Among such patents are the following: No. 2,567,770, issued September 11, 1951; and No. 2,517,309, issued August 1, 1950. Nevertheless, the straightening of small to medium gauge wire, whether hard or soft, has still presented a problem, since such wire has so little inherent stiffmess that, no matter how closely to the rotationpreventing means the straightening force is applied, the negligible stiffness of the strand permits some disorientation of the unwinding wires coil plane relative to the sense of the counterbending force.

By the present invention I provide mechanism, and a method, whereby, through taking advantage of the coil set, small, flexible strands in particular can be held, almost without possibility of failure, in the precise orientation required, so that their straightening may be accomplished accurately, rapidly, easily, with minimum use of power, and with minimum or no injury to the wire, and this regardless of whether the' set is a simple coil set, or a compound of coil set and helical set. Moreover, while the invention has resulted from the necessity of providing means to solve the problems peculiar to small wire, its principles are equally applicable to the straightening of large wire, whether hard or soft. In consequence, it may be stated that the general object of this invention is to provide mechanism, and a method, for straightening wire of any and all sizes, and whether hard or soft, which has the general advantages outlined above, and that a subsidiary object is to provide mechanism, and a method, to hold any such wire, beyond as well as in advance of the counterbending point, against rotation about its own axis, while it is being acted upon by any bending force, however oriented relative to the coils plane.

In the practice of my invention of Serial No. 793,183, now abandoned, the strand, prior to any counterbending, has been given a coil set which is of a tightness-that is, of a diameter so smallthat is it necessarily less in diameter than the original coil set, so that the counterbending force may be gauged to remove this uniformly tight coil, rather than its natural and usually somewhat variable coil set. Somewhat the same principle is employed here, usually modified to employ that'principle primarily to resist rotation of the strand about its own axis at the oncoming side of the counterbending means, and likewise at the opposite or offrunning side of the counterbending means. The principle of the wrapping in a loop about a sheave is employed, but the loop is made so large, having regard for the size and inherent nature of the strand, that little or no coil set is reimparted to the strand, or if any, one so slight that it is easily removed therebeyond, notwithstanding that the strand is not held beyond that point against rotation. It is an ob ject of the invention, then, to hold the'strand against rotation about its own axis by looping it about sheaves at opposite sides of and close to each point where a major bending operation occurs, and yet to vary the size of the loops either to give or to avoid giving the strand a constriction or coil set, as the situation at any particular point may require. Additionally, it is an object to remove only such small set as may remain unneutralized, while the strand is held only at one side of the point of such bending, and to remove no major set except while the strand is held close to and at both sides of the point where such major set is removed.

With more particular reference to the counterbending operation it is an object of the present invention to provide mechanism, and a method, whereby such counterbending can be accomplished, particularly on small wires, by a staged operation, in which an appreciable or perhaps the major portion of the coil set is taken out in a primary operation, and the remainder can be taken out in a secondary operation, which can follow promptly the primary counterbending operation, and more particularly it is an object to provide mechanism of the nature just indicated, in which the secondary counterbending operation can be adjusted to as fine a degree as may be necessary to accomplish neutralization of the coil set in a minimum length, with a minimum number of rolls, and with the least expenditure of power to pull the wire through, in addition to accomplishing it most effectively.

With further particular reference to the counterbending operation, it is a further object in effecting the counterbending to employ a final counterbending operation of such nature as may bend the wire slightly past straight, or overbend it, and to provide mechanism immediately operable, and adjustable to a fine degree, to immediately remove or neutralize the overbending thus given the strand.

With particular reference to the removal of helical set, it is an object to provide mechanism, and a method, for accomplishing this operation wherein the strand is accurately and positively held against rotation on its own axis, by means which engage it at each side of the bending point, and the bending operation is accomplished in a simple manner, with a minimum number of rolls, and with assurance that the forces may be applied in precisely the correct orientation with relation to the plane of the coil set.

- With relation to the machine as a whole, it is an object to provide a complete, accurate, and finely adjustable wire straightener, wherein all necessary operations may be performed in a minimum of length, with a minimum number of rolls and degree of bending thereabout, and with the minimum employment of power to pull the wire through against the resistance of such rolls.

With relation to the particular mechanism it is an object to provide a wire straightening machine in a form which can, by simple adjustments, readily accommodate a strand which is being uncoiled from a clockwise or from a counterclockwise coil, as may be necessary.

It is also an object to provide mechanism for use in such a wire straightener which shall be of simple, inexpensive, and yet rugged form, and readily adjustable in all essential respects.

With these objects in mind, and others as will appear more particularly hereinafter, my invention comprises the novel wire straightening mechanism, and the novel method, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and as will be described and claimed in this specification, and it will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, character and arrangement of the parts within the spirit of the invention as herein disclosed, without departing from that invention.

The accompanying drawings show a representative form of the wire straightening means, arranged in most instances for straightening a strand uncoiling from a coil in a counterclockwise sense.

Figure l is a general plan view of a 'complete wire straightening machine, according to the present invention, shown in one position of adjustment, and Figure 2 is a similar view of the same machine shown with parts in a somewhat different form of adjustment.

Figure 3 is a section through the same, substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail section along the line indicated at l in Figure 2, and Figure 5 is a similar detail section along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figures 6, '7, 8, and 9 are diagrammatic views, to illustrate by comparison different adjustments of parts of the machine under different circumstances, all for counterbending to eliminate coil set from a coil unwinding counterclockwise, while Figure 10 is a similar diagrammatic view showing parts arranged for counterbending a strand unwinding clockwise from a coil.-

In the particular form illustrated the invention includes a sub-base 9, whereon is supported a base 8, slightly elevated above the surface of the sub-base, and movable thereover, preferably in a manner to pivot about the vertical post 2| which is coaxial with the roll 2, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. On the sub-base are supported a number of sheaves and rolls for handling, guiding, and straightening the wire strand. The distinction between sheaves and rolls is that the strand is wrapped or looped one or more times about each sheave, and the same constitute primarily means to prevent the strand from rotating on its own axis, whereas the rolls merely deflect the strand, but do not receive a wrap thereof about themselves, and are primarily strand-bending means. As will appear hereinafter, one at least of the sheaves functions in a sense also as a roll, but primarily the distinction between rolls and sheaves is as just outlined.

Wire, in the form of a coil C (see Figure l), and usually supported thus in any suitable manner upon a reel or swift, is ordinarily unwound therefrom in a counterclockwise fashion and the machine is set up, in most of the views, to accommodate a strand thus unreeling. However, as will appear hereinafter, the machine is capable of adjustment or reorganization to accommodate a strand which unreels in a clockwise sense.

Starting, then, from the coil C, the strand S first encounters and is looped in the same rotative sense about a grooved sheave ii, the use of which is optional, but which is employed primarily to insure the elimination of slack beyond this point, for it will be understood that the strand is pulled through the straightening machine by means engaging it beyond the left-hand end of Figures 1, 2 and 3, the particular means employed to draw it through being immaterial, and being any such as are commonly used-in the art. From the sheave ii, then, the strand runs to an adjacent and similar grooved sheave 7, about which it is looped one or more times. Both these sheaves are journaled on and lie somewhat above the base 8. Both lie preferably in the same plane as the coil C, and the wrap about each is in the same rotative sense the strand lay in the coil. Retaining rolls, such as those indicated at 12 and 13, and of which there may be any desired number, are employed to prevent the strand from jumping out of the grooves of the sheaves 1| and 1.

Leaving the sheave the strand runs to a sheave 6, which is preferably grooved, and about which it wraps one or more times, again in the same rotative sense and nearly coplanar with the coil C, and although the sheaves I and 6 are close together, in the intervening portion between them the strand, as it advances, engages certain bending rolls 3 and 30, which will be discussed-in detail hereinafter, and the function of which is to bend and counterbend the strand for the purpose of removing helical set, if there be any in the strand.

Running off the sheave 6, the strand runs next about a grooved sheave 5, likewise nearly coplanar with all the other sheaves and the coil C, and the wrap is in the same rotative sense, but although the sheaves 6 and 5 are closely spaced, the strand as it advances through the intervening distance is deflected by a roll 4, which is preferably grooved, and the function of which is to counterbend the strand directly reversely to its coil set.

Beyond the sheave 5 the strand passes between a roll 2 and a roll 20, which are placed close to the point where the strand leaves the roll 5, and thence extends between tworolls and I0, first passing through a wide slot H in a wall |2 upstanding in the path of the strand, whereby it is prevented from slipping upwardly or downwardly from engagement by these rolls. Beyond the rolls I, I0 the strand extends to a point Where means grip it or otherwise engage it to draw it through the straightener, which means are not shown, and which may be any that have been used heretofore and are suitable to the end in view, and thereafter the straightened strand may be stored for subsequent use in loops large enough that it will not be given another coil set, or is cut into lengths for storage .or for immediate use. The particular form of the mechanism which engages the strand beyond the rolls and I0 is not material to the present invention.

All the rolls and sheaves. H, I, 6, 5, 4, and 20 are supported directly upon and are movable with the base 8, as it pivots about the post 2|, hence none'of these is moved relative to any other by such pivotal movement. All lie more or less in planes which, if they do not coincide with the plane of the coil C, correspond so closely with that plane that they may be said to lie in the general plane of the original. coil. The roll 2 also lies in the same plane, particularly in the same plane as the roll 2|} and the sheave 5, but 1 roll 2 is journaled upon the post 2|, whereby it is actually supported-from the sub-base 9, and the entire base 8 and all the rolls and sheaves carried thereon, as is best seen in Figure 4, or

by comparison of Figures 1 and 2, may be pivotally swung bodily about the axis of the roll 2 as a center, to accomplish certain fine adjustments. The degree of such swinging is governed, and the adjustment is maintained, by lock means, indicated by the bolt 82 mounted in and projecting upwardly from the sub-base through the slot 80 in the base, which is arcuate about the axis of the roll 2, and the lock nut 8| to clamp the base in adjusted position. A second suchslot Bil is arcuate about a hole 83, which constitutes an alternate location for the post 2| that supports the roll 2, and which is used when unwinding a strand in clockwise fashion- The rolls 3 and 30 are disposed in a common plane in the path of the strand intermediate the sheaves and B, but their plane is transverse to the plane of the coil C, being normally at right angles to this coil plane and to the plane of the base 8. They are supported on the base by means of the bracket 84, secured in place by the bolts or screws 85. To adapt the device to treatment of a coil unwinding clockwise, there bolts may be received alternatively in holes 85 at the opposite side of the base 8. The rolls 3 and 30 are so arranged, as is best seen in Figure 3, to bend the strand intermediate the sheaves and 6, first to one side of its coil plane and then substantially equally to the opposite side of its coil plane, and by this bending back which, however slight, far exceeds any helical set in the strand, they will overcome and cancel out any such helical set in much the same fashion as that operation is accomplished in Serial No. 748,391, filed May 16, 1947. In the instant case the operation is accomplished by the use of two rolls only, and this makes it highly desirable that the sheaves in advance of the roll 3, namely, the sheaves 1| and I, be in a plane which includes the point of tangency, Where the strand engages the roll 3, and that the sheaves and rolls beyond the roll 3'0 be similarly aligned with the point of tangency where the strand runs off the roll 30. In efiect this makes a jog or offset in the strand, which is unobjectionable, but even this could be avoided if the bending at this point were accomplished by three or an odd number of rolls. The primary purpose in performing the operation with two rolls only is to minimize the number of rolls used, and thus the amount of power required to pull the strand through, and to minimize the number of bends and the possible resultant injury to the characteristics of the wire. It will be observed, too, that these rolls 3 and 30 are relatively adjustable in the slots 32 and 33 of the bracket 84, to vary the "severity of the bend at this point.

The roll 4 is the primary counterbending roll. It is adjustable in the slots 40 or 40' to vary the severity of the bend intermediate the sheaves 6 and 5. It is the aim to remove at this point the major portion of the coil set, but preferably not all of the coil set, leaving a small amount of coil set to be removed at the secondary counterbending roll, which is the roll 2. Disregarding for the moment the roll 20, which is adjustable toward and from the roll 2 within a slot 2| corresponding to the slot 2|, or within a slot 22 or 22', it will be seen that the roll 2 can be arranged, relative to the point of tangency where the strand runs off the sheave 5, and to the point where it runs between the rolls and It, to effect some deflection of the strand, but only a little, to counterbend the strand in substantially. the same fashion as does the roll 4. The degree of such .counterbending is variable in two ways, one, by

adjusting the rolls and It lengthwise of their slots |3, and, two, by swinging the base 8 about the axis of the roll 2 from a position such as that which it occupies in Figure 2 to that whichit occupies in Figure 1. Such swinging will move the point of tangen-cy Where the strand leaves the sheave 5 upwardly relative to the point of tangency. where it engages the roll 2, and thereby will effect bending, or a greater degree of bending, as the strand passes beneath theroll 2. This, then, and particularly the swinging or pivotal movement of the base 8 over the'subbase 8 about the axis of the roll 2.

base 9, accomplishes a very fine adjustment of I amount of counterbending even by the fine adjustment means provided. This is true because even such a factor as a variation in the force with which the wire is pulled through the straightening mechanism will affect the degree of counterbending at each such point. It is preferred,

therefore, that the counterbending at 2 proceed to a point somewhat beyond straight, and then that the overbending which it has been given be immediately removed by a reverse bending means, and that is the function of the roll 20.

With the roll in operative engagement with the strand in the near vicinity of the roll 2, it will be observed that the strand is deflected, reversely to its deflection about the roll 2, when it passes about the roll 253. Moreover, the degree of such reverse bending is variable to an extremely fine degree, and relatively to the amount of secondary counterbending, by the pivotal adjustment of the When the base is swung upwardly from the position of Fig ure 2 toward that of Figure 1, the degree of secondary counterbending is increased, and the degree of reverse bending at the roll 26 is decreased, and vice versa. With the roll 28 supported in the slot 22 or 22' a similar result is produced, but the degree of reverse bending is more pronounced upon such adjustment with respect to the degree of secondary counterbending.

It will be noted that the sheaves 7 and 6 are of different diameter, the sheave 6 being the smaller, yet that the sheave T (and also the sheave H, which is more or less the same size) is appreciably smaller than the diameter of the coil C. It will be observed also that the sheave 5 is of large diameter, particularly with relation to the small sheave 6. By making the sheave 7 smaller than the coil C the strands coil is constricted and it is given a smaller yet uniform set, regardless of what set it may have had in the coil 0, though the set given it is in the same plane and in the same rotative sense. Now, by constricting the coil about the even smaller sheave 5, the size of its coil is even further constricted, but still in the same rotative sense and in the same general plane. By being thus looped, in the same rotative sense as its original coil set, around two closely-spaced sheaves, the possibility that the strand may rotate about its own axis in the intervening portion between the sheaves is reduced practically to zero. Accordingly, the bending rolls 3 and may operate upon this intervening portion in precise orientation to the plane of the coil set, and by properly controlling the force applied there, it is assured that the strand will be bent and then counterbent immediately in precisely the correct direction and by the correct amount of force to override and cancel out any possible slight helical set that it may have.

By looping the strand around the sheave 5 close to and immediately after it passes from the small sheave 6, it is similarly assured that the strand in the intervening portion may not possibly rotate about its own axis, for it is held by loops at each side thereof, and consequently the primary counterbending roller 4, acting at this point, will operate in precisely the correct orientation, that is, directly oppositely to the coil set, and its degree of force or counterbending may be coarsely regulated by adjustment in the slots 48 or 40'. The sheave 5 is large in diameter and can be of such size, with relation to the gauge of the wire and to the inherent characteristics thereof, that the strand will not take any appreciable additional coil set by reason of being wrapped around this large sheave 5. Moreover, since preferably only a portion of the coil set is removed by the primary counterbending roll 4, the coil set remaining assists in preventing rotation of the strand about its own axis by'reason of its wrap around the large sheave 5. Thus at the primary counterbending point 4 the strand is held at both sides thereof in a manner to prevent its rotation about its own axis, so that the force applied to it is correct in orientation, and may be gauged in amount to accomplish the desired degree of counterbending. Now, because the wire is unwinding from the large sheave 5, and in any event has but slight coil set left in it, it is far less likely to rotate about its own axis as it passes the secondary counterbending roll 2, and here it is given its final counterbending, and, if need be, a reverse bending as it passes the roll 20, and while it is not supported beyond the two latter rolls against rotation the likelihood of rotation at this point is very slight, and it has been found that the device will very accurately and dependably straighten wire as it passes through such mechanism.

It may be pointed out here that in the final counterbending operation the strand is supported in effect by the sheave 5 and between the rolls I and it, and is deflected by the roll 2. In consequence the sheave 5, in the final or secondary counterbending operation, functions not only as a sheave to hold the wire against rotation, but also as a roll.

Certain of the rolls herein shown are-grooved, and. others are ungrooved, whereas all the sheaves are grooved. It is not largely material whether the rolls be grooved or not, but they might in the main be left ungrooved, and it has been my experience that the only roll which of necessity should be grooved is the roll 2, and this only for the reason that the strand does not, beyond this point, pass about a grooved sheave.

The comparative diagrammatic views, Figures 6, '7, 8 and 9 will show the possibilities of such a machine, having particular reference to the counterbending function. In Figure 6 the reverse bending roll 20 has been withdrawn to such an extent that it no longer functions to bend the strand reversely after it passes the secondary counterbending roll 2. By adjustment of the primary counterbending roll ll in its slot 40, the degree of counterbending at this point between the sheaves 6 and 5 can be varied to such an extent that a slight degree of counterbending at the roll 2 will completely straighten the strand. In this view the base 8 is assumed to be in a neutral position, such as it is shown in Figure 2, with relation to angular adjustment about the axis of the roll 2, as is shown by the position of its median line M, which coincides with the center line of the sub-base a.

In Figure 7, however, assuming all other parts in substantially the same positions of adjustment, the reverse bending roll 20 has been shifted to the slot 22, and into a position to produce a slight additional amount of secondary counterbending about the roll 2 and also a slight amount of reverse bending at the roll 20.

In Figure 8, with the reverse bending roll 20 now returned to its slot 2i, the base 8 has been swung downwardly from its neutral position, as is shown by the angle of its median line M relative to the center line L of the sub-base 9. This swinging about the axis of the roll 2 has made no change in the adjustment relative to one another of any of the rolls or sheaves which are,

mounted upon the base 8, but because of the close proximity of the roll 20 to the roll 2, it has produced a very decided additional amount of reverse bending at this point, and a somewhat greater degree of secondary counterbending about the roll 2. For comparison Figure 9 shows parts in the same positions of adjustment as in Figure 8, but with the median line M of the base 8 swung upwards relative to the median line L of the subbase about the axis of the roll 2. The result of this is an appreciably added degree of secondary counterbending about the roll 2 in view of the fact that the point of tangency Where the strand runs off the sheave is appreciably higher than the point of tangency where it runs beneath the roll 2, but the same adjustment has had the efiect of decreasing the amount of reverse bending about the roll 20. This comparison will show the extreme fineness and the variety of the adjustment that can be accomplished, after all other adjustments have been made, merely by swinging the base about the axis of the roll 2 as the center. By such fineness of adjustment it is a simple matter, with a few trial bends, to obtain exactly the correct degree of bend that is desired.

Figure 10 is similar to Figure 6, but shows the parts arranged to operate upon a strand which unreels from its coil in a clockwise instead of a counter-clockwise direction.

I claim as my invention:

1. Wire straightening mechanism comprising a first, a second, and a third strand guiding means closely spaced in succession along the strands path of advance, and each comprising a sheave lying in a plane which generally corresponds to the plane of the strands coil, and about which the strand is wrapped in the same sense as it lay in its coil, to hold the strand against rotation about its own axis intermediate any two of said sheaves, means located to engage and deflect the strand, intermediate two such sheaves, transversely to the plane of its coil set, to remove its helical set, if any, and further means located to engage the strand, intermediate one of the first two and the other such sheave, and to deflect it counter to its original coil set.

2. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 1, wherein the strand-deflecting means are engaged in the order named, and wherein the second sheave is smaller in diameter than the first sheave, and the third sheave is larger in diameter than either of the others.

3. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 1, wherein the strand-deflecting means are engaged in the order named, and wherein the first sheave is smaller in diameter than the original coil, the second sheave is no larger than the first sheave, and the third sheave is larger than either of the others, and large enough, having regard to the gauge and type of wire, to substantially eliminate restoration of the coil set as the strand wraps thereabout.

4. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 3, including a finely-adjustable counterbending means, located beyond the third sheave to engage land deflect the strand to the extent necessary to substantially neutralize any bend remaining in the strand after it unwraps from .said third sheave.

5. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 1, wherein the strand-deflecting means are engaged in the order named, and including a further counterbending means located beyond the third sheave to engage and deflect the strand to the extent necessary to substantially neutralize any bend remaining in the strand after it unwraps from the third sheave, reverse-bending means located beyond said further counterbending means to engage and deflect the strand opposite; 1y to the latter, and means to adjust relatively and finely the deflections of the further counterbending means and of the reverse-bending means.

6. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 1, including a preliminary sheave located to receive a wrap of the strand, in the same sense it lay in the coil, in advance of the first sheave, and thereby to maintain the strand wrapped closely about such first and successive sheaves.

7. Wire straightening mechanism comprising a subbase, a base supported upon and movable over said subbase, strand-guiding means mounted upon said base, strand-bending means mounted upon said base in position to engage and deflect a strand which is guided by said guiding means, to substantially neutralize any set which the strand had in its coil, a final counterbending roll supported above said base in position to engage the strand as it runs from the last such base-mounted means, strand uiding means fixedly located upon the subbase, whence the strand runs, beyond said final counterbending roll, and pivot means axially coincident with said final counterbending roll, mounting said base for angular adjustment over the subbase, thereby to vary to a fine degree the extent of deflection and hence of counterbending of the strand about said roll.

8. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 7, including a reverse-bending roll mounted upon said base, in position to engage the strand close beyond the final counterbending roll, and to deflect the same oppositely to the latter, the several parts being so arranged and organized that the degree of deflection by the reverse-bending roll is variable, mutually with but oppositely to the degree of deflection by the counterbending roll, by angular adjustment of the base over the subbase.

9. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 8, including means for coarse adjustment of the reverse-bending roll upon the base, and relative to the counterbending roll.

10. Wjire straightening mechanism comprising a subbase, a final strand guiding means mounted thereon, a base pivotally mounted upon the subbase in the vicinity of said strand-guiding means, to swing over the subbase into various adjusted positions, three sheaves supported for rotation upon the base, in planes normal to the bases pivot axis, about which sheaves the strand is wrapped, in succession, and in the same sense it lay in its coil, to resist its rotation about its own axis, the final sheave being sufliciently large, having regard to the gauge and type of wire, to minimize setting of the wrapped strand, and being located near the bases pivotal mount, means carried by the base, intermediate two of said sheaves, and. operatively engageable with the strand to neutralize helical set, if any, therein,

means carried by the base, intermediate the other two of said sheaves, and operatively engageable with the strand to substantially neutralize its coil set, a final counterbending r011 mounted coaxially of the bases pivot axis, in position to engage the strand intermediate said final sheave and said final strand guiding means, and to deflect the strand more or less, in accordance with the adjusted position of the base relative to the subbase.

11. Wire straightening mechanism comprising a fixedly positioned bending roll, guide means therebeyond in the path of advance of the strand, 2. sheave positioned closely in advance of said roll, the strand being looped about and extending from the sheave, past the roll at its opposite side, and thence to the guide means, and means supporting the sheave for pivotal adjustment about the axis of said roll, to vary the extent of deflection of the strand by said roll between substantially zero and a maximum.

12. Wire straightening mechanism as in claim 11, including a reverse-bending roll disposed immediately beyond the bending roll, at the opposite side of the strands path, to engage and defleet the strand oppositely to said bending roll, said reverse-bending roll being mounted for adjustment incommon with said sheave, by such adjustment to vary simultaneously but oppositely 12 the degree of deflection of the strand from a maximum to substantially zero.

RICHARD D. HELLER.

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